Portable letter file



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E. M. STEPHNSON PORTABLE LETTER FILE Filed May 22. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 20, 1923,

EDWARD M. STEPHENSON, OF HAETFGRD, CONNECTICUT.

PORTABLE LETTER FILE.

Application filed may 22,

To aZZ whom t may @ancora Be it known that l, EDWARD M. STEPHEN- son, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county et Hartford and State oi" Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fortable Letter Files; and l do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the ac companying drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in-

Fig. 1 a perspective view of a portable letr ter-tile constructed in accordance with my invention.

F ig. 2 a tace view, showing the device in a partially open position.

Fig. 8 a broken plan view, illustrating the separation of the index sheets.

Fig. el a transverse sectional view.

Fig. 5 a view illustrating the manner ol folding letter sheets in the tile.

Fig. 6 a broken, sectional view, illustrating the manner of separating the indeX sheets into sections.

This invention relates to improvement in portable letter-files, that is, a holder in which letters may be tiled so as to be readily accessible, and adapted particularly `for the use of traveling salesmen who are required to carry a large number of papers which must be always accessible, and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claim.

ln carrying out my invention, l employ a back 10, side rlaps 11 and 12, bottom iiap 13 and top tiap 141. Preferably, the side flap 11 will be provided with a strap 15 carrying members 16er' snap-'fasteners which engage with members of snap-fasteners 17 fixed to the flap 12, and the top Hap 143: will also be provided with snap-fastener members 18 to engage with snap-fastener members 19 on the bottom flap 13. Secured to the inner face of the back 10 is a backing 20. to which is connected a series of leaves 22 provided with hinges 21, so as to provide an eXtension file, the several leaves being lettered in the usual way. As the length of the leaves is about one-half that of asheet of business 1922. Serial No. 562,714.

letter paper, it is necessary to arrange the leaves in two sections for the purpose of indexing, and the bottom leaf of the upper section is connected to the upper leaf of the lower section by an extension-strip 25, and to the bottom part of the upper section I ap ply a tab 23, by which the upper section of the leaves may be drawn to one side, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so as to expose the indexed edges or all oi the leaves. These leaves are preferably provided with integral tongues 2&1, or metal tongues may be applied to the leaves. The letters are tiled between the various leaves, one edge entering beneath the tongues 24, and their upper ends projecting above the file leaves, as shown in Fig. 2 or the drawings, and the upper portions of the letters may be readily folded over the outer tace of the index leaves, as indicated in F ig. 5 of the drawings, and when so folded the side flaps are turned inward and engaged, the bottom flap turned up and the top flap turned down and engaged therewith, so as to produce an attractive package in which a laree number of letters may be carried in a comparatively small space.

To examine any particular letter, it is only necessary to open the flaps and turn the top parts of the letters outward. Then, it the letter is in the lower section of the ile, the top section will be moved to one side, so as to expose the indexes of the lower section, permittingthe letter sheets filed under any letter to be readily accessible.

claim A portable letter-tile, comprising a back,

side flaps, bottoni flap and top flap, a series oi independent index leaves connected with the said back and opening sidewise, said index leaves arranged in sections connected by an extension strip, a tab applied to the lower part of the top section, whereby that section may be drawn to one side, and means for connecting the said flaps.

in testimony whereof, have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

E. M. STEPHENSON. Witnesses:

FREDERIC C. EARLE, MALCOLM P. NICHOLS. 

